AFC Leopards Club turned 60 on Tuesday with calls for more corporate partnerships to enable the team to compete favourably with other giant clubs in Africa, both in the transfer market and in continental championships.
Tuesday’s events were spearheaded by AFC Leopards chairman Dan Shikanda, who visited Israel Mutoka, the club’s founder, at his Shauri Moyo house and invited all interested parties to join and offer suggestions on how to advance the team.
The celebrations will come to a close on this month’s 24th with an Ingwe night party and an exhibition game at Nyayo Stadium.
The team was founded on March 12, 1964, and has won five CECAFA trophies in addition to 12 league victories, the last of which was achieved in 1998.
Even though Ingwe is 60 years old, it still faces many difficulties, such as not having a home stadium and without a stable source of revenue.
In order to engage in corporate responsibility activities, the club started operations on Tuesday morning. The senior team, the Ingwe ladies team, and the junior team visited several children’s homes.
The first group, led by Ingwe at 60 and chairman Vincent Shimoli, visited Wamo Childcare.
The Ingwe squad visited the Shangilia Mtoto wa Africa Children’s Home in Kitusuru, under the guidance of club patron Alexander Muteshi, where they joined the kids in celebrating this wonderful day.
The junior squad visited Nile Road Special School for the third event of the day. Following this, they played a charity match with the Nile Special students and then travelled to Shauri Moyo for the celebration, which included a special cake-cutting ceremony.
“We are glad to celebrate this day as the AFC Leopards family, here in Shauri Moyo,” club patron Muteshi remarked.
He continued, “This is the location that gave rise to this unique team that continues to write history in the nation.”
“We planned a few events for the month, and today we went to three separate children’s homes—Kitusuru, Kawangware, and Nile Road—each of which had a quick ceremony that included cake cutting.”
“We also have a schedule of events, with Nyayo Stadium hosting the main event on March 24.”
Following the celebration, Imgwe at 60 chairman Vincent Shimoli—a former Ingwe player—announced that the club will assume a new role.
“After visiting this special place (Mutoka’s home), we intend to take this long-standing heritage to a whole new level.”
“We want to be like our brothers at Simba and Yanga. The younger generation needs to take the mantle and steer this team to greater heights. We don’t need to be fundraising every time; self-reliance is very important in this era,” he added.
Faith Norah Lukosi, the director of the youth development enterprise fund, urged all stakeholders to give the team their all support because it is what will determine the team’s success.
“Also, we are calling out for the leadership, fans, and team to work in unity because there‘s power in unity, and if we work together and have a conversation on how to propel this team forward, we will be able to get the answer.”said Lukosi
Club legend Josphat Murila praised the AFC Leopards hierarchy for organising this special event that brought together the present, the past, and the future.
Murila said,In my lifetime, I have never witnessed this special occasion.
It is very motivational and one that will definitely change the club’s dimension.”
Cleopa Mutoka, son of club founder Israel Motoka, lauded the club patron for organising the celebrations at his home, saying that this will definitely open ways for the club and bring glory days back home.
“Coming to this home is definitely a blessing. This club will now realise its potential and conquer the continent,” Mutoka quipped.
The club has lined up a series of activities in preparation for the main celebrations to be held at the Nyayo National Stadium on March 24, 2024.
On March 16, 2024, the club will have an inter-branches football tournament at the Camp Toyoyo and Lower Jericho grounds in Jericho Estate before the finals are held at Nyayo Stadium on March 24.
“The inter-branches football tournament begins this weekend (16 March) before the main finals at Nyayo on 24 March,” Muteshi added.
“On the main day, we will have the inter-branches final, a ladies match involving Ingwe ladies and a team from Murang’a.
We will also have an AFC Leopards Legends team and an AFC Leopards team taking on a team from Spain,” the patron added.
On March 12, 1964, in the evening, a group of individuals regarded as the founding fathers of the Abaluhya Football Club—now called the A.F.C. Leopards—met at Nairobi’s Kaloleni Social Hall.
Israel Mutoka, Ben Amimo, Joshua Odanga, Benjamin Ashihundu, Benjamin Barua, Wilson Ominde, and Joshua Odanga were among the important players in the club’s founding.
They were crucial in the formation of one of Kenya’s most prosperous football teams by uniting a number of Luhya-based clubs with roots in Nairobi.
The legendary A.F.C. Leopards are a football team headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya. Originally founded as the Abaluhya Football Club Leopards Sports Club, they are also affectionately known as Ingwe (Luhya for “Leopards”).
